Bottle holder



Feb. 13, 1962 G. CLARE 3,021,026

BOTTLE HOLDER Filed Jan. 18, 1961 FIG.3

FIG.7 FIGS INVENTOR.

George Clare ATTORNEY United States PatentO 3,021,026 BOTTLE HOLDER George Clare, 475 Richmond Ave., Maplewood, NJ. Filed Jan. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 83,407 1 Claim. (Cl. 215-400) This invention relates in general to a bottle holder, and more specifically to a novel, integrally formed, readily removable, bottle holder that is readily foldable between inoperative and operative position.

An object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple bottle holder that is easy to use, inexpensive to manufacture, and positive in operation.

Another object is to provide a bottle holder construction which can be suitably molded in a single unitary mold, and yet rendered readily foldable about a bottle.

Still another object is to provide a foldable bottle holder with cooperating releasable locking means to maintain the holder in operative bottle embracing position.

Other features and advantages will become readily apparent when considered in View of the drawings and description thereof wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a side View of the bottle holder in operative bottle holding position, the outline of the bottle being shown in dot-dash line.

FIG. 2 is an end view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial bottom view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is an inside plan view of the holder shown in the open, inoperative position.

FIG. 5 is a section view taken through line 5--5 of FIG. 4 illustrating a detail of the web hinge construction.

FIG. 6 is a sectional plan view taken along line 66 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a sectional plan view taken along line 77 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a bottle holder 20 that is rendered readily removable or detachably connected with respect to a bottle 21. The holder 20, as illustrated, is particularly adapted for use with relatively large bottles, e.g. one-half gallon or gallon size bottles and larger, which are not generally formed with an integral handle. Such bottles are rather diflicult to handle, and consequently, the holder illustrated is specifically constructed to accommodate such bottles.

As best seen in FIG. 4 the holder 20 comprises preferably an integrally formed moldable piece which includes a pair of half sections 22, 23 that are rendered foldable about fold lines 24, 25 between inoperative position (FIG. 4) and operative bottle embracing position (FIGS. 1 and 2). Each half section 22, 23 in accordance with this invention includes complementary upper arcuate portions 22A, 23A respectively, complementary lower arcuate portions 22B, 23B respectively, and a connecting handle portion 22C, 23C, the latter being provided with an upper arch portion 26, 27 to bridge any diiferential distance occasioned by the different sizes of the annuli formed by the complementary upper and lower arcuate portions.

In the illustrated embodiment, the upper arcuate portions 22A, 23A are adapted to define an annulus for circumscribing a relatively narrow portion of the neck of the bottle, while the bottom or lower arcuate portion 22B, 23B defines an annulus sized to fit the bottom or base portion of the bottle. If desired the upper arcuate portion may be tapered to follow the contour of the bottle. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the lower arcuate portions 22B, 23B is provided with an inturned flange 28, 29 respectively, upon which the bottle is adapted to seat.

ice

As shown in FIG. 5, the adjacent ends of the upper arcuate portions 22A, 23A, and lower arcuate portion 22B, 23B, are integrally connected by a web 30 which is adapted to function as a hinge about which the half sections 22, 23 are folded.

Thus it will be noted that the construction illustrated can be readily formed of suitable flexible material such as polypropylene or other suitable plastic or resilient type of material for rendering an integral piece foldable between operative and inoperative position. With the arrangement described it will be readily apparent that the holder can be easily applied to or removed from the bottle with maximum ease and simplicity, and in operative position the bottle is firmly secured so as to minimize any relative movement between the bottle and holder.

As seen in FIG. 3, the hinge or web 30 is reduced in cross-section at the respective fold lines so as to facilitate folding of the half section to operative position of FIG. 1.

To facilitate alignment of the edge portions of each half section 22, 23, cooperating locating means are provided. These take the form of a projection 33 extending outwardly from the edge portion of half-section 22, and a hole 34 in alignment therewith located in the edge portion of half section 23. Thus positioning of the projection 33 in hole 34 insures alignment of the half sections. If desired one or more of such locating means may be provided.

In accordance with this invention there is formed integrally of the handle portions 22C, 23C, cooperating releasable locking means in the form of frictionally engaging male and female parts. As shown in FIGS. 4, 6, 7 and 8, the respective handle portions 22, 23 are arcuate in cross section. In the illustrated embodiment and as best seen in FIGS. 4 and 8, the handle portion 220 is provided at spaced intervals with a plurality of male latches 31 which comprise a flat extending normal to handle portion 22C. The handle portion 230 of the other half section 23 is provided with a pair of spaced flats 32 disposed in alignment with latches 31 to function as a catch for frictionally receiving the male latch 31. As shown a female catch 32 is provided for each male latch 31.

The interlocking means are adapted to be positively engaged in releasably locking relationship. As shown in FIG. 8, this is readily attained by providing the male latch 31 with an extended portion formed with a transversely extending protuberance 31A adjacent the extended end thereof which is adapted to engage and interlock with the cooperating recesses 32A formed between opposing flats of each catch 32. Thus to lock the half sections 22, 23 in operative position, the handle portions of each half section need be folded about the bottle and snapped together into locking position. A pull in the opposite direction on the respective half sections will readily unsnap the handle section 22, 23.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the bottle holder can be readily molded as a unitary member consisting of opposite hand half sections 22, 23 that can be readily folded and unfolded with respect to a bottle; and which half sections are insured of proper alignment upon each application, and which sections are positively frictionally interlocked in operative bottle embracing position; and which interlocking means can be readily unsnapped to permit ready removal of the bottle from the holder. Thus the holder is rendered re-usable for use with other bottles.

While the instant invention has been disclosed with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, it is to be appreciated that the invention is not to be taken as limited to all of the details thereof as modifications and variations thereof may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

An integrally formed bottle holder comprising a pair of cooperating half sections, each of said half sections including complementary upper arcuate portions adapted to form an annulus for embracing the upper circumference of a bottle, an integrally formed web connecting the adjacent ends of said upper complementary arcuate portion, a handle portion connected to the other end of each of said complementary upper arcuate portions, and lower complementary arcuate portions connected to each of said handle portions, said lower complementary portions forming an annulus for embracing a lower circumference of the bottle, an integrally formed web connecting the adjacent ends of said lower arcuate portions, said handle portions being arcuate in cross-section, and cooperating latching means associated with each of said handle portions to frictionally releasably lock said half section in operative bottle embracing position; said latching means including a female catch in the handle portion of one half section, and a cooperating male latch in the handle portion of said other half section, and locating means for aligning said half sections in the operative position thereof, said locating means including aligned pin and hole located in the edge portion of the respective half sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,702,555 Watson Feb. 19, 1929 2,610,081 Bushman Sept. 9, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,151 Great Britain 1874 1,067,004 France Jan. 27, 1954 

